W ATER R ESOURCES P LANNING (ACT 220) and the S TATE W ATER P LAN
The Need for Water Planning
Water Plan Vision ⚫ Pennsylvania has abundant and magnificent water resources, which should provide: ✓ the basis for an exceptional quality of life for Pennsylvania’s residents ✓ an opportunity for outdoor enthusiasts ✓ an attraction for visitors ✓ unparalleled natural beauty ✓ thriving ecosystems ✓ agricultural prominence ✓ economic prosperity throughout the Commonwealth
Vision – Cont’d ⚫ All those with an interest in Pennsylvania have a stake in the use, enhancement, and stewardship of the Commonwealth’s water resources ⚫ The Pennsylvania Constitution vests a right to pure water and the values of the natural environment in all Pennsylvanians, and imposes a duty to conserve and to maintain public natural resources for this generation and generations yet to come
Achieving the Vision 1. The State Water Plan will offer tools and guidance for all those who make decisions that affect the Commonwealth’s water resources or who make decisions based upon the availability of water of adequate quantity and quality 2. The Plan should be useful to: ✓ those who wish to locate and to design their projects so that the availability of water resources does not constrain them ✓ those who wish to preserve high environmental quality where it exists and to achieve it where it does not ✓ local governments with planning, conservation, and economic development responsibilities ✓ Commonwealth and Interstate Compact agencies
Achieving – Cont’d 3. The Plan should serve their needs by providing: ✓ a qualitative and quantitative description of water resources in Pennsylvania based upon accurate, transparent, and readily accessible data ✓ guidance on the use of that description and those data in the decisions that face the Plan’s users 4. The Plan is a starting point for considering the opportunities available to Pennsylvanians for managing the state’s water resources
Act 220 of 2002 Water Resources Planning Act 1. Update the State Water Plan by 2008 2. Register and Report Certain Water Withdrawals 3. Identify Critical Water Planning Areas 4. Create Critical Area Resource Plans 5. Regional Priorities
1. Update the State Water Plan
Water Planning Regions
Water Planning ⚫ 6 Regional Committees and 1 Statewide Committee to develop Plan for DEP approval and adoption ⚫ Plan to be developed by March 2008 ⚫ Plan is to include a number of components, or “chapters,” including: ✓ Surface and groundwater resources ✓ Assessment and projection of withdrawal and non- withdrawal uses ✓ Identification of potential problems and CWPAs ✓ Assessment of public water supplies ✓ Assessment of floodplain and storm water management problems
Water Planning – Cont’d ✓ Assessment of water resources required to serve areas with important or unique natural, scenic, environmental, or recreational values ✓ Process for identifying water conservation practices ✓ Identification of practical alternatives for adequate supply of water ✓ Assessment of structural and nonstructural alternatives to address identified problems ✓ Review and evaluation of existing legal and regulatory authorities ✓ Review and evaluation of water resources management alternatives and recommended provisions to meet needs ✓ Proposed methods of implementing recommended actions and activities
2. Registration and Reporting
User Registration ⚫ Act 220 establishes interim registration requirements by March 2004 for: ✓ All public water supply agencies ✓ All hydropower facilities ✓ All other users whose total withdrawal within a watershed exceeds an average rate of 10,000 gallons/day in a 30-day period ✓ EQB to adopt regulations addressing ✓ Registration ✓ Periodic reporting ✓ Recordkeeping of withdrawals ⚫ NO metering of homeowner wells
Registration – Cont’d ⚫ Paper forms ⚫ Web registration through GreenPort ⚫ Forms and registration available on the DEP website http://www.dep.state.pa.us/dep/DEPUTATE/watermgt/wc/Act220/Registration/Default.htm 1-888-457-6653
3. Critical Water Planning Areas
Critical Water Planning Area ⚫ “Critical Water Planning Area” is a “significant hydrologic unit where existing or future demands exceed or threaten to exceed safe yield of available water resources” ⚫ CWPAs may be designated: ✓ In the Statewide Plan ✓ In advance of the Statewide Plan by the Statewide Committee and DEP, upon recommendation of a Regional Committee, if justified by evidence developed during the planning process ⚫ DEP and the Statewide Committee to adopt CWPA “criteria” and “process” in 2005
4. Critical Area Resource Plans
Critical Area Resource Plans ⚫ Upon designation of a CWPA, a Critical Area Resource Plan is to be developed ⚫ CARP is to be developed by the Regional Committee and approved by the Statewide Committee and DEP ⚫ CARPs shall include: ✓ Identification of existing and future reasonable and beneficial uses ✓ Water availability evaluation, including a quantitative comparison of available resources to existing and future uses ✓ Identification of anticipated future needs ✓ Assessment of water quality issues that have a “direct and substantial” effect on water resource availability
CARPs – Cont’d ✓ Consideration of storm water and floodplain management within the critical water planning area and their impacts on water quality and quantity ✓ Identification of existing and potential user conflicts and alternatives for addressing ✓ Identification of practicable supply-side and demand-side alternatives for assuring an adequate water supply
5. Regional Priorities
Ohio River Basin INSERT REGIONAL MAP
Ohio River Basin Regional Priorities 1. Maintaining Water Supply (loss prevention) 2. Appropriate, Applied Use of Technology 3. Economic Development 4. Public Education and Outreach on Water Resources 5. Balancing Multi-Purpose Uses
Ohio River Basin Regional Priorities Maintaining Water Supply (loss prevention) ⚫ Mining ⚫ Loss of residential water ⚫ Residential use/lack of planning for the future ⚫ Groundwater/stormwater recharge ⚫ Old infrastructure/ Malfunctioning sewage systems (on-lot and combined) ⚫ Contingency plans
Ohio River Basin Regional Priorities Appropriate, Applied Use of Technology ⚫ Conservation technology (e.g., recycling) ⚫ Saving technology ⚫ Remediation/treatment technology ⚫ Water quality ⚫ Water quantity ⚫ Improving infrastructure ⚫ Recharge ⚫ Nutrient management
Ohio River Basin Regional Priorities Economic Development ⚫ Identify type of economic development and address that need to enhance growth ⚫ Define intended water uses ⚫ Identify uses, needs, and allocations ⚫ Plan for how to replace what we’re using ⚫ Positive incentives for economic growth (e.g., regulatory approvals) ⚫ Need to maintain existing and to increase job base ⚫ Wise brownfield re-use
Ohio River Basin Regional Priorities Public Education and Outreach on Water Resources ⚫ Provide information to public ⚫ Obtain feedback from public ⚫ Need more info/data on water resources
Ohio River Basin Regional Priorities Balancing Multi-Purpose Uses ⚫ Protecting existing uses ⚫ Trading and credits? ⚫ Intended uses (e.g., storage) ⚫ Emergency allocations ⚫ Water budgeting ⚫ Protection of current clean water resources ⚫ Incentives for water storage ⚫ Balance between/among different uses (both in regular and emergency conditions)
Public Participation Opportunities ⚫ May 2005 – Public Meetings/Hearings in each region to solicit comments from interested persons on water resources planning issues related to the preparation of the regional component of the state water plan ⚫ Regional and Statewide committee meetings ⚫ Public meetings/hearings in each region to solicit input on the drafts of the initial regional plan components to be used in the development or amendment of the state water plan
2005 Regional Committee Meetings May August November 5/9 - Ohio 8/8 - Ohio 11/7 - Ohio 5/10 - Great Lakes 8/9 - Great Lakes 11/8 - Great Lakes 5/12 - Delaware 8/11 - Delaware 11/10 - Delaware 11/17 – Upper/ 5/16 - Lower 8/15 - Lower Susquehanna Susquehanna Middle Susquehanna 8/18 – Upper/ 5/19 - Potomac Middle 11/18 - Potomac 5/26 – Upper/ Susquehanna Middle 11/21 - Lower Susquehanna 8/19 - Potomac Susquehanna
Act 220 Contact Information Act 220 Registration Hotline: (888) 457-6653 DEP Water Planning Office (717) 783-4693 Ronald Rohall (724) 238-4973 Chair, Ohio Regional Committee Don Bluedorn (412) 394-5400 Chair, Statewide Committee Jeff Fliss DEP Regional Liaison (412) 442-4207
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